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Goal of Environmental Quality

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Promote health for all through a healthy environment

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Environment, as it relates to health,

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All the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related behaviors

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Environmental health consists of

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Preventing or controlling disease, injury, and disability related to the interactions between people and their environment

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Environmental quality goals

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Safe air, land, and water are fundamental to a healthy community environment. An environment free of hazards, such as secondhand smoke, carbon monoxide, allergens, lead, and toxic chemicals, helps prevent disease and other health problems. Implementing and enforcing environmental standards and regulations, monitoring pollution levels and human exposures, building environments that support healthy lifestyles, and considering the risk of pollution in decision-making can improve health and quality of life for all Americans.

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The Environment directly affects

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Health status and plays a major role in quality of life, years of healthy life lived, and health disparities

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Poor air quality is linked to

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Premature death, cancer, and long-term damage to respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

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Secondhand smoke containing

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Toxic and cancer-causing chemicals contributes to heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults

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Globally, nearly 25% of all deaths and total disease burden

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Can be attributed to environmental factors

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Poor environmental quality

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Has its greatest impact on people whose health status is already at risk. Ex: nearly 1/10 children and 1/12 adults in the US have asthma, which is caused, triggered, and exacerbated by environmental factors such as air pollution and secondhand smoke

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The Healthy People 2020 Environmental Health objectives focus on 6 themes:

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Outdoor air quality Surface and ground water quality Toxic substances and hazardous waste Homes and communities Infrastructure and surveillance Global environmental health

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Exposure to environmental and occupational hazards before and during pregnancy

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Can increase the risk of subsequent health problem for infants and children. These problems include birth defects, developmental disabilities, and childhood cancer.

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Children may be more vulnerable to

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Environmental exposures than adults because their bodily systems are still developing and their behavior can expose them to more chemicals and organisms.

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Asthma

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Is the third ranking cause of non-injury-related hospitalizations among children age 14 and younger

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Childhood lead poisoning

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Reduced IQ, which can never be regained. Recent studies that children with blood lead levels well below the Federal standard can suffer from diminished IQ and effects on behavior

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Environmental Quality for adults

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Work-related factors, including occupational exposures to chemicals, excessive heat or cold, and noise, can create or worsen a variety of health problems, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and heart disease

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Environmental quality for older adults

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Environmental hazards, including extreme temperatures, air quality, and pollution, can pose a significant risk to older adults, especially those with COPD or asthma

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Living within 75m of a major roadway is associated with

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Increased risk of asthma. This is particularly the case for children without a family history of asthma

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Genetics variations may offer protection or make a child more

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Susceptible to asthma and autism. Genetic differences vary between ethnic groups, could contribute to health disparities.

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Mothers exposed to urban air pollutants, known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

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Had children with lower IQs

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Outdoor air quality Globally

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Poor environmental quality accounts for one in eight deaths $3.5 trillion cost in premature mortality and health care in 34 OECD countries including the US, plus China and India

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Outdoor air quality In the US

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200,000 premature deaths 130,000 particulate matter-related deaths and 4,700 ozone-related deaths $76.6 billion spent on diseases of environmental origin in children

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Ground-level ozone

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Is a primary component of smog

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Ground-level ozone can cause

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Human health problems and damage forests and agricultural crops. Repeated exposure to ozone can make people more susceptible to respiratory infections and lung inflammation. It also can aggravate pre-existing respiratory disease, such as asthma

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Children are at risk from ozone pollution because

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They are outside, playing and exercising, during the summer days when ozone levels are at their highest. They also can be more susceptible because their lungs are still developing. People with asthma and even active healthy adults, such as construction workers, can experience a reduction in lung function and an increase in respiratory symptoms (chest pain and coughing) when exposed to low levels of ozone during periods of moderate exertion

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Very low levels of arsenic exposure

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In drinking water are associate with lower IQ

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Exposure to manganese is associated with

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Poorer memory and attention in children even at low levels commonly encountered in North America

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Very low levels of lead exposure are associated with

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Increased risk of behavioral and emotional problems, such as being anxious, depresses, or aggressive.

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Children exposed to murcury show

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Decreased visuospatial processing and memory

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Bisphenol A

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Ubiquitous in the environment and many possible exposures. Animal and human research has associated BPA with many health problems including infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early-onset puberty, prostate and mammary gland cancers, cardiovascular effects, and diabetes

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Association of BPA exposure during fetal development

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May adversely impact cardiovascular fitness

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Phthalates

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NIEHS funded researchers at Columbia University found an association between childhood asthma and prenatal exposure to two phthalates used in a diverse array of household products

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Flame Retardants

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NIEHS funded researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that prenatal exposure to Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) was associated with lower IQ and higher hypersensitivity scores in children

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Surface and ground water quality

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Applies to both drinking water and recreational waters

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Contamination by infectious agents or chemicals can

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Cause mild to severe illness

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Protecting water sources and minimizing exposure to contaminated water sources are

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Important parts of environmental quality

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Water purification Step 1

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Coagulation and flocculation are often the first steps in water treatment. Chemicals with a positive charge are added to the water. The positive charge of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and other dissolved particles in the water. When this occurs, the particles bind with the chemicals and form larger particles, called floc.

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Water Purification Step 2

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During sedimentation, Floc settles to the bottom of the water supply, due to its weight. This settling process is called sedimentation

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Water purification Step 3

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Once the floc has settled to the bottom of the water supply, the clear water on top will pass through filters of varying compositions (sand, gravel, and charcoal) and pore size, in order to remove dissolved particles, such as dust, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and chemicals

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Water purification Step 4

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After the water has been filtered, a disinfectant is added in order to kill any remaining parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Water may be treated differently in different communities depending on the quality of the water that enters the treatment plant. Typically, the surface water requires more treatment and filtration than ground water because lakes, rivers, and streams contain more sediment and pollutants and are more likely to be contaminated that ground water. Some water supplies may also contain disinfection by-products, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, and radionuclides.

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Water Fluoridation

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Community water fluoridation prevents tooth decay safely and effectively. Water fluoridation has been named one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

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Water and recreation

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There are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the US. In the US during 2009, there were approx. 301 million swimming visits each year by persons over the age of 6. 36% of children aged 7-17 years, and 15% of adults in the US, swim at least 6 times per year. About half (56.8%) of spas are in violation of local environmental health ordinances, and about 1/9 spas require immediate closure.

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Recreational water illness

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Are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. RWI's can also be caused by chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water that cause indoor air quality problems.

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RWI's include a

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Wide variety of infections, such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea.

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In the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number

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Of RWI outbreaks associated with swimming. Cryptosporidia, which can stay alive for days even in well-maintained pools, has become the leading cause of swimming pool-related outbreaks of diarrheal illness. From 2004 to 2008, reported cases increased over 200%

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Although Cryptosporidia is

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Tolerant to chlorine, most germs are not. Keeping chlorine at recommended levels is essential to maintain a healthy pool. However, a 2010 study found that 1 in 8 public pool inspections resulted in pools being closed immediately due to serious code violations such as improper chlorine levels.

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Toxic health effects of toxic substances and hazardous wastes are not

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Yet fully understood. Research to better understand how these exposures may impact health is ongoing. Meanwhile, efforts to reduce exposures continue.

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Reducing exposure to toxic substances and hazardous wastes

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Is fundamental to environmental health

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Radon

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An odorless, colorless, radioactive gas. It is also the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General's office estimate radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

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Radon is a gas

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That occurs naturally fro the breakdown - or the radioactive decay- of uranium. Rocks, soil, and in some cases groundwater can all contain uranium. Because radon some from so many sources, people are easily exposed to it.

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Exposure can occur through breathing

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Outdoor air, in buildings and homes, and by eating or drinking.

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Radon gas can seep through

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Cracks in buildings and expose people to the radiation, which can lead to severe health problems.

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The EPA lists the following ways that radon can get into buildings:

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Cracks in sold floors and walls Construction joints Gaps in suspended floors gaps around service pipes Cavities inside walls The water supply

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Noise pollution

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Approximately 28 million Americans are affected with some hearing loss, and it has been estimated that 10 million of these impairments are at least partially attributable from exposure to noise. For millions of Americans, noise from aircraft, vehicular traffic, and a variety of other sources is a constant source of torment.

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Millions of Americans are exposed to

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Noise levels can lead to sleep loss, psychological and physiological damage, and work disruption

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Chronic exposure to noise has been linked to

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Increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, learning deficits in children, stress, and diminished quality of life.

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Excessive noise leading to

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Sleep deprivation and task interruptions can result in untold costs on society in diminished worker productivity

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Climate change

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Is projected to impact sea level, patterns of infectious disease, air quality, and their severity of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms.

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Disaster preparedness

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Preparedness for the environmental impact of natural disasters as well as disasters of the human origin includes planning for human health needs and the impact of public infrastructure, such as water and roadways

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Nanotechnology

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The potential impact to nanotechnology is significant and offers possible improvements to: Disease prevention, detection, and treatment. Electronics Clean energy Manufacturing Environmental risk assessment However, nanotechnology may also present unintended health risk or changes or the environment

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The built environment

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Features of the built environment appear to impact human health-influencing behaviors, physical activity patterns, social networks, and access to resources

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Exposure to unknown hazards

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Every year hundreds of new chemicals are introduced to the US market. It is presumed that some of these chemicals may present new, unexpected challenges to the human health, and therefor, their safety should be evaluated prior to release

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Blood lead levels

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The number of children with elevated blood lead levels in the US is steadily decreasing. As a result, determining stable national prevalence estimates and changes in estimated prevalence over time using NHANES is increasingly difficult. Eliminating elevated blood lead levels in children remains a goal of utmost importance to public health.

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